I've been buying guns since 1984, when I was in the Air Force and could afford my first one. The first couple weren't S&Ws, but what did I know, it was all new to me. I stumbled onto several Smiths over the years, old and new, and have enjoyed them all. After a few more I was hooked. I'm not a MIMaphobic, and have never seen an MIM part explode, disintegrate, or do any of the other bad things they're supposed to do. I don't like the looks of the lock...... But I, nor anyone I know or know of, has ever experienced the much feared "lock failure" so it isn't an operational issue to me.
I recently purchased a new revolver by another well known company. The fit and finish is behind S&W, by a long ways. Sharp edges, rough finish, loose fit, not impressed. This is true of those I've recently handled in gun stores also.
I'll continue to buy new S&W revolvers, and older ones that interest me, as long as we're free to do so. Where else are we going to find those beautiful 8 shot .357 N frames.
(putting my pom-poms down now....)